By Peace Udugba
A former Deputy Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly and Assistant Pastor in Charge of Province in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Remmy Hazzan, has defended the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s decision to retain its Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that the arrangement does not threaten Nigeria’s religious balance.
Speaking on Monday during Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, Hazzan, who is also a member of the APC, dismissed concerns that the party’s presidential ticket undermines the interests of Christians, arguing that President Bola Tinubu has consistently demonstrated religious tolerance.
“I belong to the All Progressives Congress. I believe we are not religious bigots. We do not promote anything that favours one religion or threatens the existence of another,” he said.
Hazzan pointed to the President’s marriage to First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, an ordained pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), as evidence of his commitment to religious inclusiveness.
“The wife of the President is an ordained pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God. If such a man has lived with his Christian wife, who is an ordained pastor, throughout their marriage, it shows his level of religious tolerance. We believe that same spirit of tolerance is reflected in his leadership of Nigeria,” he stated.
Addressing criticisms of the APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket, Hazzan maintained that the decision was based on political realities rather than religious considerations.
According to him, the choice of President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima was made to address political exigencies and not to promote any religion over another.
“The issue of religious sentiment or any perceived threat to another religion has not manifested in any way. Therefore, we will not have any difficulty marketing that ticket ahead of the 2027 elections,” he said.
The former lawmaker also dismissed claims that the APC’s decision implied that Christian voters were politically insignificant.
He argued that the emergence of a Southern Muslim as the presidential candidate of a major political party created a unique political situation that required a different electoral strategy.
“Nobody has said the Christian voting bloc is insignificant. This is the first time a Southern Muslim has emerged as the presidential candidate of a major political party in Nigeria,” he explained.
Hazzan noted that when Southern Christians previously contested for the presidency, Northern Muslims had accepted Muslim running mates without controversy. However, he argued that selecting a Northern Christian as Tinubu’s running mate would have required significant political persuasion among Northern Muslim voters.
“It took courage for President Bola Tinubu to make that decision. It was not because there was any disregard for the Christian faith but because the party adopted what it considered the most practical political strategy under the circumstances,” he said.
On leadership, Hazzan stressed that competence should always take precedence over religious affiliation.
“The best of us should rule the rest of us. Christians should present their best, Muslims should present their best, and even adherents of traditional religion should present their best. When we have the best candidates, the people will ultimately benefit,” he said.
Assessing the Tinubu administration after three years in office, Hazzan acknowledged that the government’s economic reforms initially imposed hardship on Nigerians but argued that the country was beginning to experience signs of recovery.
“The current administration has done so much, and we are gradually reaching a point of equilibrium. It is becoming clearer that those difficult periods were necessary if we are to return to prosperity. Mr. President should be allowed to complete the work he has started,” he stated.
The cleric also urged Christians to become more actively involved in politics, rejecting the long-held belief that politics is too dirty for believers.
“For a long time, the church was made to believe that politics is dirty and should be left to dirty people. But when something is dirty, it requires cleaning.
That cleaning is best done by people with integrity from within the system,” he said.
He further rejected the notion that political office inevitably corrupts Christians, insisting that believers can serve in government without compromising their faith.
“You must remain conscious of the moral values you have embraced as a Christian and ensure that the privileges of public office do not make you forget your principles or where you come from,” Hazzan added.
